Let Thorn Valley Safety help your company fleet, drivers, vehicles, and managers stay safe throughout 2025.
Trump enacts regulatory freeze:
What it means for trucking
(Brandon Wiseman – Trucksafe Consulting 1/21/2025)
Among his first official acts while in office, President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled “Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,” initiating a comprehensive halt on federal rulemaking activities across executive departments and agencies. This directive mandates a thorough review of all pending regulations, including those promulgated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and other agencies under the USDOT’s umbrella. As a federal agency, the FMCSA is directly affected by this regulatory freeze, leading to several immediate and potentially longer-term implications.
Delay in Implementation of Pending Regulations: Rules that are in the pipeline but not yet effective are subject to the 60-day postponement. As detailed in the executive order, this applies not just to final rules but also proposals. This delay provides an opportunity for the new administration to reassess these regulations in line with its policy objectives. Existing FMCSA rulemakings that could be impacted by the freeze include those relating to Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), broker transparency, speed limiters, safety fitness determinations, and others.
Thorn Valley notes that Brandon does not include recent issues such as the Oral Fluid Testing (TVe-News November 2024)and the CSA Prioritization Preview (TVe-News April 2023) so those appear to have cleared the pipeline and exempt from the regulatory freeze. Please be sure to keep up to date by signing up for Trucksafe Newsletter at Online DOT Training & DOT Consultant | Trucksafe Consulting, LLC.
OSHA + SAFETY GROUPS TACKLE WORKPLACE DRIVING RISKS
Driving remains the leading cause of workplace fatalities, accounting for 36.8% of worker deaths in 2023. To tackle this growing concern, OSHA, the National Safety Council, and the Road to Zero Coalition have launched a new initiative focused on reducing motor vehicle incidents.
“The most dangerous thing a person can do on the job is get in a vehicle,” said Lorraine Martin, NSC president and CEO, and chair of the Road to Zero Coalition.
- Continue Reading: OSHA, National Safety Council, Road to Zero Coalition Join Initiative to Prevent Fatal Workplace Motor Vehicle Incidents
- Continue Reading: Motor Vehicle Safety – Motor Vehicle Safety | OSHA.gov | Occupational Safety and Health Administration
NEW DOT ORAL FLUID DRUG TESTING GUIDELINES
The DOT has introduced official guidelines for Oral Fluid Specimen Collection, offering a new method for drug and alcohol testing. These changes could affect compliance procedures for fleet operators and employers.
FMCSA REMOVES SIX ELDS FROM APPROVED LIST
The following ELDs were removed from the list of registered ELDs due to the providers’ failure to meet the minimum requirements established in 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, appendix A.
